The Game
by fromidam
Summary: It was more than just a game to Silver - it was his life.  Hinted Soulsilvershipping.


The first thing she said to him was "What are you doing here?"

They were both outside the window of professor Oak's lab, and Silver was surprised that anyone had noticed him in this small town with a population of ten. The other nine had never moved from their initial location since Silver's arrival, though he hadn't seen this girl at any point during his scouting earlier. He had assumed the tenth was out of town - a clear miscalculation on his part. But here this girl was, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Not long after that first encounter they met again, just outside of Cherrygrove. He felt compelled to challenge her to a battle, but he didn't know why. Their first battle was slow and awkward, his choices foolish and her commands choppy and indecisive. She ended up winning, and while this didn't surprise him much due to his lack of experience, he didn't let it show.

He battled her several more time, and each time the outcome didn't surprise him or anger him, though he always pretended to care and be angry; however, he didn't know why. Sometimes during a battle he'd get a sense of déjà-vu, as if he knew what team she was going to use, and had seen her moves and strategy before even though they hadn't battled for awhile. Other times time would seem to stop, yet continue immediately. He had no explanation for the strange things that happened when he battled her, but that didn't really bother him. He never felt like questioning anything, he realized.

After she beat him at Indigo Plateau, he felt like he lost control of his wandering patterns. He felt forced to follow a schedule, to be in certain places on certain days of the week. He didn't like being controlled, but he had no way to rebel against this feeling. He was trapped in a strange and irritating cycle.

He didn't see her for a very long time. She didn't find him until after she had obtained all of Kanto's badges. For the second time ever, she talked to him; she talked to him about how she had to get stronger, how she had to be strong enough to beat Red before she trekked to the top of Mt. Silver. He found this ironic, but he didn't care much. He finally had a companion , and that was enough for him.

Some nights she would fall asleep beside him suddenly, with a slight jolt of panic before doing so. He never really questioned her actions, but it always saddened him when he'd have to leave her alone at midnight to go elsewhere, stuck in his eternal cycle of movement. He hated it. If he had any control, he would stay and listen to her all the time. She was the only interesting and engaging thing in his mundane life.

Sometimes weeks, even months would pass between her visits. When he'd arrive at the Dragon's Den, he'd always hope that she'd be there, waiting for him. Once she was, and he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. She, however, didn't seem so happy. What she told him confused him. Something about not having enough money - she was the Johto Champion, how could she not have enough money? - and having to get rid of "the game." Their battle delighted him though, but she left right after it, without a word.

A few days later he was especially hopeful she'd come back, figuring that the other day's visit was the end of her visiting hiatus, at least for a little while. But she didn't come. Late in the day he felt an unfamiliar presence, but he couldn't tell what it was or where it came from. A few minutes later the presence disappeared. He relaxed, resuming his peaceful wait for her arrival. Not half a minute later, everything went black.

* * *

><p>Shorter than what I usually do, but I like it ^_^<p>

Since it may not have been clear, Silver is the rival in a copy of HG/SS, and his program can think and analyze events to some degree. In that playthrough the player character was Lyra, and Silver puzzles over the strange things that a game can experience (closing the lid, resetting when you loose to your rival) without understanding true reality. Then the player sells the game, and after the new owner takes a quick look through the old save file, they restart and kill that version of Silver. It made me sad to kill him but I thought it was a good ending.

Hopefully I'll be able to come up with a good story that does more than hint at Soulsilvershipping, but I'm currently working on a series of short Oldrvialshipping stories so it may have to wait awhile.

-**S**nor


End file.
